Microphone boom



July 5, 193s.

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Patented July 5, 1938 PATENT OFFICE;

MICROPHONE BOOM William A. Mueller, Bollywood, Calif., aaaignor to United Research Corporation, Burbank,

Calif., a corporation of Delaware Beiiled for abandoned application Serial No.

639,321, October'- 24,

1935. This application October 17, 1.936, Serial No. 106,157

Claims.

This invention relates to acoustic cinematographic apparatus and more particularly to a novel means for rotating a microphone suspended from a microphone boom during the taking of 5 sound motion pictures.

It has been a common practice in the photographing of motion pictures with a sound accompaniment, to-suspend the microphone above the actors so that the desired dialogue will be recorded thereby. This apparatus often took the form of a long pole with a hook at the end thereof and from which a microphone was suspended. This was carried from place to place as desired by the continuity of action in the plot, always keeping the microphone above and in front of the actor speaking and out of range of the camera.

This method suffered from many defects as will be readily understood.' in that it was diiiicult to turn the microphone quickly so that it would always be presented directly towards the actor who was speaking.

This fault and other defects are overcome by the present invention, an object of which is to rotate a microphone from a remote point so that it may be quickly orientated in a desired direction during sound recording.

This is accomplished by rotatably mounting a microphone on a boom, means being provided for rotating the microphone from a remote point. Preferably the rotatable microphone is provided with a resilient mounting whereby all extraneous vibrations are eliminated.

Further details of this invention will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a movable microphone boom employing the device of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing a preferred means of remote control for'the microphone supporting frame.

It has been found by experiment that the most advantageous position for the recording microphone, when recording sound motion pictures, is pointing directly down at a speaker from an angle of about 45. This is easy to accomplish when there is only one speaker, but when there are a plurality of speakers, the microphone must be turned quickly from one to the other in order to follow the conversation. 'I'he present invention accomplishes this by providing the following apparatus: A skeleton frame truck I, supported for mobility by suitable dirigible wheels such as 2 and 3. An upright supporting column 4 is carried on truck I and mounted for rotary movement in a large roller bearing 5. Suitable struts 8 and 1 are provided for the sake of rigidity. A cross-arm 8 is pivotally mounted at the top of column 4. Arm 8 pivots about a point 9 offset from the center of column 4 by means of an oiIset bracket -III fastened to the top of column 4. At one end of cross-arm 8 there is a counterweight II. 'I'he other end thereof has a depending bracket I2 which supports a raw hide friction wheel I3 journaled to rotate about a point I4. A second cross-arm I5 telescopes arm 8 at the point I2 and rests on the wheel I3. 'I'he arm I5 reciprocates in the arm 8 and is actuated by means of a pair of spaced pulleys I6 and I1 mounted adjacent either end of arm 8. One end of a wire cable I8 is tied to the inner end (not Y shown) of telescoping arm I5. It passes over pulley I8, around a pulley I9, journaled to rotate about the point 9 and over a d rum 20 mounted for free rotation, to an intermediate point on column 4. The other end of cable I8 is tied to the inner end (not shown) of telescoping arm I5, passes over the spaced pulley I1, around pulleyI I9 and over drum 20. Drum 20 is provided with a suitable handle 2| so that when the handle 2| is turned, the arm I5 is made to reciprocate in the arm 8 at will.

Attached to the outer end of arm I5 is a rotatable circular clamp 22, having a locking wing nut 23. Depending from clamp 22 is a small shaft or spindle 24, to the end of which is journaled a horizontal pulley 25. A twin-armed cradle 26 is mounted on pulley 25. Cradle 26 has a series of hooks 21, 28, 29 and 30 mounted on the inside of the arms thereof and a pair of lugs 3| and 32, one mounted on the outside of each ofv the arms of the cradle 26.

The microphone assembly consists of a small cylindrical ampliiier 33 with a semi-circular car- -Tying ring 34, mounted on the top thereof. second semi-circular supporting ring 35 is mounted at the lower end of amplifier 33 in order to accommodate the microphone 36. Microphone 36 can be tilted as desired by means of two locking studs 31 and 38 at the horizontal diameter of the ring 35.

The microphone assembly is resiliently mounted in the frame 26 by means of a pair of rubber bands or other elastic members 39 and 40 which vextend through the carrying ring 34 and over the hooks 21 and 28 respectively. A second pair of rubber bands 4I and 42 surround the amplifier 33 at a mid-point and hook over the members 23 and 30 respectively. A single rubber band 43 is stretched between the studs 3i and 32 and supports the amplier 33 on either side.

The cradle 26 (Fig. 2) is rotated hy remote control means consisting of a handle 4 fastened to a pulley 45 which is journaled to an intermediate point at the side of column 4. An endless cable 46 passes around the annulus of pulley 45 and over a double puiley 41 that is suspended from the cross-arm 8. A loop is then formed in the cable 46 when it passes over a second double pulley 48 similarly supported. A weight 49 fastened to a double pulley 5D rides in the loop so formed between pulleys 41 and 48 and imparts tension to the cable 46. Cable 46 then passes through a pair of spaced guidebearings 5|I, depending from the cross-arm 8 and finally around the annulus of pulley 25. Thus when the handle 44 is raised er lowered, the cradle 26 is rotated at will.

An electric cable 52, which supplies current to the microphone assembly, is fastened to the end of telescoping arm I5. It then passes over a pair of spaced pulleys 53 and 54 suspended from the cross-arm 8 and forms a loop between pulley 54 and a similar spaced pulley 55. A balance weight 56, fastened to a puliey 51, rides in the loop thus formed between the pulleys 54 and 55 and imparts tension to the cable 52. y The end of cable 52 is fastened to a suitable electric plug 56 :sonveniently mounted on the column 4.

The microphone is raised or lowered, and the cross-arms and i5 are tilted by means of a lever arm 59, journaled at one end to a xed pin mounted on the cross-armadjacent the counterweight il The other end oi lever 59 is journaled to a locking pin 6I mounted at an intermediate point on an arm 62. Arm 62 is rotatably fastened to the post 4 at a. point 65. An arcuate plate 63l having a series of spaced holes 64, serves as a convenient means of adjustment for the position of locking pin 6I so that when lthe pin 6I is moved, the cross-arms 8 and I5 are raised or lowered as desired. y

In the operation of this device, the microphone 36 is set at the desired angle of tilt by means of the studs 31 and 38. It is then raised to the desired height by means of raising or lowering the arm 62. The microphone is swung over the set and out of range of the camera, by means of turning handle 2| which reciprocates arm i5 as described. 'I'he action then beginsand as the actors talkgor turn, the microphone is 'presented directly to them by either raising or lowering the handle 44, which turns the microphone from one to the other at will.

This application is a reflle for abandoned application S. N. 639,321, ledOctober 24, 1935, yie'lriich became abandoned on July 21, 19361.

Having thus described the invention what is claimedy as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: i i

l. A microphone boom comprising a truck, a'

support carried thereby, a telescoping cross-arm carried by said support, a microphone carried by said cross-arm, a plurality of adjacent handoperated devices mounted on vsaid support, means connected to one of said hand-operated devices for telescoping said cross-arm to move said microphone into positions at diierent distances from said support, and an extensible, mechanical cable mechanism connected to another of said hand-operated devices and' to said microphone and adapted to be extended and retracted ior rotating said microphone lwhen moved'ffdifierent distances away from said support.

2. A microphone boom comprising a truck, a support carried thereby, a cross-arm on said support, a spindle carried by said cross-arm, a pulley on said spindle, a cradle connected to said pulley, a microphone, means for resilientiy 'supporting said microphone on said cradle, a hand-operated device mounted on said support and a cable having a weighted loop connecting said hand-operated device to said pulley, whereby said handoperated device is adapted to rotate said microphone, and means for varying the distance between said microphone and said support whereby said microphone may be rotated hy said handoperated device when moved into positions at difrferent distances from said support.

3.'A microphone boom comprising a truck, a support carried thereby, a telescoping cross-arm carried by said support, a microphone carried by said cross-arm, a plurality of adjacent handoperated devices mounted on said support, means connected to one of said hand-'operated devices for telescoping said cross-arm to move said microphone into positions at different distances from said support, and a self-adjusting extensible, mechanical mechanism connected to another of said hand operated devices and to said microphone and adapted to be extended and retracted for rotating said microphone when moved different distances away from said support.

4. A microphone boom comprising a truck, a support carried thereby, a cross-arml on said support, a spindle carried by said cross-arm, a pulley on said spindle, a cradle connected to said pulley, a microphone, means for resiliently supporting said microphone on said cradle, a hand-operated device mounted on said support and ilexible means having weighted loopconnectihg said hand-operated device to said pulley, whereby said hand-operated device is adapted to rotate said microphone, and means for varying the distances between said microphone and said support whereby said microphone may be rotated by said handoperated device when moved into positions at different distances from said support. Y

5. A microphone boom comprisingva truck, a support carried thereby, a telescoping'cross-arm carried by said support, a microphone carried by said cross-arm, a plurality of adjacent handoperated devices mounted on said support, means connected to one of said hand-operated devices for telescoping said cross-arm to move said microphone into positions at different distances from said support, and a self-adjusting exible mechanical mechanism connected to another of said hand-operated devices and to said microphone and adapted to be extended and retracted for rotating said microphone when moved different distances away from said support.

WILLIAM A. MELLER. 

